The present disclosure generally relates to solid-state image sensors, and more specifically, to radiation hard active pixel sensors.
Charge coupled devices (CCD) have been used to process electronic image data. However, recent trend toward lower power consumption and greater system integration have spurred efforts to utilize existing sub-micron CMOS technology for electronic imaging applications.
Active pixel sensors (APS) are solid-state imagers where each pixel contains a photo-sensor, a photon to voltage converter, and a reset transistor. The APS detects image signals through a transistor switching rather than charge coupling. However, solid-state imagers may require a protective enclosure in order to operate under radiation or space environment.